Debts
by Stephanniexo
Summary: Harry has been injured during a game of Quidditch against Slytherin in his 8th year and is currently in the hospital wing. If it weren't for Draco Malfoy, he wouldn't be alive. Intended slash but could be read as just friendship


This is clearly not Home Is Where The Heart Is but the idea would not leave me alone until I had produced this. I keep coming up with new idea for other stories, one shots or chaptered and they all seem much more fun than HIWTHI. I'll keep going though until I'm done with that though, I may write a couple at the same time, but focus on posting HIWTHI. I'll see.

Also, I've created a new Tumblr for what I'm posting, how I'm doing with writing and for all my drabbling and thank yous. Any comments will be responded there and the link will be up on my profile very shortly. It means shorter A.N so that's always a plus eh? Enjoy.

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><p>Harry felt a very familiar stifling pressure coming from the back of his head. Even though his eyes were closed he still felt as if the room was spinning beneath where he lay, as if he could feel the earth spinning while he clung to it desperately, hoping beyond hope that gravity would hang in there and not just choose to chuck him off at the first sign of weakness. As he slowly regained consciousness he became aware of the hushed voices gathered around him and he wondered where exactly he was and what had happened to his head.<p>

"-Come on Hermione, you have to admit it was weird seeing him react like that," Ginny's voice was the first one that Harry was able to focus on long enough to recognise.

"I thought they hated each other?" Demelza, one of his Chasers said and he was able to barely figure out that something had happened during the Quidditch match and he was more than likely in the hospital wing, as it was where he ended up after the majority of matches he took part in, in one way or another.

"I don't know, they had started to talk to each other more, but I really didn't think it was to the point where- oh," Hermione stopped talking as Harry opened his eyes to confirm that he was indeed in the hospital wing and in an attempt to stop the bed spinning underneath him. He recognised the bright lights and white surroundings that swam in front of his eyes and felt as if he was on a merry-go-round.

"Nice of you to join us mate," Ron grinned, peering over him, muddy and still dressed in his Quidditch robes. It took Harry a quick glance around his bed, moving his eyes only, not believing he would even be able to lift his head from his pillow, without throwing up, to realise that his whole team was there, brooms and all, watching and smiling at him. Harry closed his eyes again, the bright lights causing a sharp stabbing pain in the front of his head and he wondered how hard he had been hit this time.

"Who hit me?" Harry asked, taking a rough guess that he had been hit by either a bludger or a beaters bat. He reached up to his head, feeling around finding bandages there again, assuming he had cracked his skull for a second time. He was briefly thankful that magic was able to fix something like that twice.

"One of the Slytherin's. It was when you were talking to Ron, Preston hit a Bludger at you," Cootes told him and Harry screwed up his face. He had just been telling Ron to stick left centre because only one of the Slytherin chasers was shooting and he always came in from that side. He had thought he'd be alright to do so while the quaffle was away down the other end of the pitch because everyone would be focused down there and he was trying to be quick and discreet about it. Obviously not discreet enough.

Harry groaned and opened his eyes again as Hermione pressed his glasses into his palm. He pushed them on and attempted to wiggle up into a more comfortable position without getting light headed. Ron and Ginny help him, adjusting his pillows to support his back. He felt okay, well enough to keep up a conversation for a little while, even if the room was slipping in and out of focus slightly.

"How much did we loose by?" he asked, knowing he had to know and couldn't just ignore it forever. His teammates all looked at one another and he thought the worst, that they had lost by hundreds, he couldn't even remember the score before he was knocked out, he couldn't remember if they had been ahead then or not. "Come on just tell me," he said.

"We didn't," Ginny said. Harry frowned but found that hurt his head so stopped and just blinked at them instead.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Malfoy forfeited the game," Hermione told him.

"What? Why?" Harry said. He might be a little concussed and not quite in his right mind but he still knew that Malfoy would not have done so if he had seen a way of winning the game. Technically Gryffindor should have had to do so without a seeker or any substitutes. Slytherin should have won on default but that wouldn't be the case if Malfoy had done so first.

"Don't know. Ron was about to go to say to Hooch after you were taken from the pitch that Gryffindor forfeit but she blew her whistle before he could and announced that Slytherin had done so and that we won on default," Dean explained.

Harry stared at them all for any signs that they were either lying to him or figments of his delirious mind. He found no signs of either. "Are you sure Malfoy wasn't hit by a bludger?" he asked.

"Well he seemed fine when he slowed you down before you hit the ground and pulled you on his broomstick and flew you down to the ground," Ron said simply. Harry blinked again and wondered if he was still dreaming, still in some kind of coma where everything was strange and back to front.

"Are you guys having me on? Because I'm really not in any right state for-"

"Seriously Harry, it happened, everyone saw him do it," Hermione said and the rest of his team nodded in agreement. Before he could say anything, even though he had no idea what to say, his thoughts jumbled enough in his cracked head as it was without being confused by conflicting information, the hospital wing doors opened and in walked the man himself, Draco Malfoy.

He was still in his tight Slytherin Quidditch robes, muddy and grass stained, hair askew and broomstick hanging loosely in his hand. Blood stained hands. He stepped inside the hospital wing, letting the door close softly behind him and looked around focusing on the group immediately. Harry doubted it would take much considering there was such a large group of red and gold in an otherwise empty wing, all turned and staring at Malfoy. Malfoy stayed frozen where he was for a moment, clearly not expecting the large group to be there before jutting out his chin, puffing out his chest and striding forward, over to them.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron asked with his usual bite to his voice that was always present whenever Malfoy was, whether it was intentional or not Harry wasn't sure, he thought it more likely to just be second nature by now.

Malfoy, whom had been focused on Harry, flicked his eyes to Ron standing at the head of his bed and then around the remainder of the Gryffindor team and Hermione before going back to Harry. "I wanted to make sure you hadn't lost too many braincells Potter," he said after a moment, and his words sounded almost thought out and rehearsed.

"Still got enough to wonder what _you_ are doing here," Harry said. Ron had crossed his arms and his other team mates shuffled slightly, watching for Malfoy's reaction. Malfoy pursed his lips and flicked his glance to Ron again and back.

"I thought it only customary that after you save a guys life, you go back to check on them to make sure your efforts weren't in vein," Malfoy said, his chin was still pointed high but his chest had lost some of it's air.

"I never asked you to save my life," Harry said gently and felt Hermione turn and frown at him but he kept his gaze on Malfoy.

Malfoy shrugged and shifted his broom over his shoulder. "Only returning a favour," he said keeping his gaze steady on Harry, looking right into Harry's eyes to make sure he understood what he was trying to tell him. Harry thought he might have a rough idea even though there was a thick fog starting to close in on his head and he found himself a little more light headed the longer he sat up parallel.

Harry thought he was probably referring to the pardon he had given Malfoy and his mother in court a couple of weeks after the war when they stood trial. They were supposed to be sent to Azkaban for twenty years as soon as they were found but Harry had insisted that they get a trial and had testified for them. It was a little hard for the court and Wizengamount to argue with the Saviour of the Wizarding World. They would have died in azkaban, or gone insane, neither of which Harry wanted to happen.

"Why'd you forfeit the game Malfoy?" Ginny asked and Malfoy tore his eyes from Harry's drooping ones. He was starting to feel even more light headed and faint but was determined to fight it now.

"I didn't want to see Potter injured any more than any of you lot did," Malfoy started and Ron snorted in disbelieve. Malfoy turned to him again, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Plus, I wanted to win fair and square. It's much more rewarding if it's a deserved win," he finished.

"But why forfeit? That puts you third in the table now and we're in the lead, there's no way you'll catch up," Demelza said.

Malfoy didn't grace her with a look, instead going back to Harry. He frowned at him as he explained. "We all know my team's on top form this year and that the Hufflepuffs are struggling with Jenson in charge. We'll catch up again easily. It'll come down to Slytherin versus Gryffindor as it so often does and we'll be able to beat you fare and square, no forfeits, no injuries,"

"Yeah? We'll see about that," Ginny said, the same bite in her voice as Ron had when he talked to Malfoy and Harry briefly wondered if it was a family thing, briefly was right as he couldn't keep a hold of a thought long enough.

"Potter, are you alright?" Malfoy asked, not bothering Ginny with a response. His team mates turned to look at him again, instead of Malfoy, but they swam in and out of Harry's focus, doubling and tripling as he tried to keep his head up right.

And just at that he heard the harsh tones of Madame Pomfry coming across the room. "Why are there so many people around one patient? Absolutely not. Everyone is going to have to leave, Mr Potter needs his rest!"

Harry's eyes had closed again as the fog closed in over his brain and he felt Pomfry's cold hands adjust him so he was lying down and the room started to spin again. He felt Ron clap him on the shoulder, say something he couldn't make out. Hermione removed his glasses and Ginny squeezed his hand as Pomfry muttered charms above him and he slipped back into unconsciousness.

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><p>When Harry woke back up everything was silent and still. The room had stopped spinning and the fog had gone from his brain. He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Everything was dark so he could only assume it was quite late, he wondered when he would get home, clearly not that night but he was hoping to be back in his dorm by morning. He found himself feeling very awake, even for having just woke up. He slowly eased himself up and apart from a slight tingling at the back of his head, felt a lot better than when he had woken up the first time.<p>

He leaned to the left to see past the half drawn curtain to see if Pomfry's light was on. It wasn't, so he snatched his wand off of the table and lit it squinting in the new light. He grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and noticed a book had been left next to them. He assumed it was Hermione that had left the book. He figured since he wasn't tired he be as well doing something so picked it up. It turned out to be his potion's book and he mentally made a reminder to curse Hermione once he got out of there. The last thing he wanted to do was homework right now. He wasn't a bit tired though so he figured reading it would be better than staring up at the ceiling and letting his thoughts take over. They were scary at the best of times never mind through a concussion.

He read by his wand light, studying the theory and ins and outs of forgetfulness potion, unsure how much he would retain without being able to take notes on it. He doubted it would be much. He wasn't far on when he heard a noise come from the other end of the hospital wing and his head shot up, ears straining for other sounds. He shut his book and extinguished his light but kept his wand up as he the door of the hospital wing close and footsteps slowly make their way towards them. His curtains were half drawn, just a space in them at the bottom of his bed, so he couldn't see who had come in through the door, plus the fact that it was so dark he probably wouldn't see them without wand light anyway. The footsteps sounded heavier than Pomfry's however so he was still wary.

They were getting closer to him and Harry gripped his wand tighter and prepared himself to hex someone if he had to. He saw a hand come around his curtain and gently push it aside to reveal the tall, slim man that the hand and heavy footsteps belonged to. Harry didn't lower his wand when he recognised Malfoy, as moonlight coming in from the window lit up his sharp face and bounced off his hair.

Malfoy had changed into dark trousers and a white shirt and had gotten rid of the mud and grass stains Harry had seen earlier. He too had his wand out, but Harry wasn't sure if he had drawn it when he saw that Harry had his or if he had had it the whole time, his mind was still a little slow to catch up with what was happening. They stared each other out for a moment before Malfoy lowered his wand and smiled ever so slightly. Harry cast his lumos again before lowering it from a defensive position.

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" Harry asked quietly. Malfoy looked over his shoulder in the direction of Madame Pomfry's station before he closed the curtains fully around them. He then took a seat in the one that sat next to Harry's bed, that Harry had last seen Hermione sitting in.

"I didn't get a chance to make sure you were definitely all right before, and considering you kind of fainted last time I wanted to make sure you had recovered from that," Malfoy said.

"But why?" Harry asked, shifting to make himself more comfortable while watching Malfoy speak. Malfoy looked down at his hands, twirling his wand around his fingers for something to do.

"After Preston hit the bludger at you, you immediately fell off your broom and started falling to the ground. Weasley was in shock and shouting for someone to help rather than doing it himself. It took a while for people to realise what had happened and no one was helping you quick enough. I was lower than anyone else, I'd actually seen the snitch, and I saw you falling towards me, it was a gut instinct to help. I slowed your momentum and flew to catch you before you ended up splattered all over the pitch, I wanted to make sure that you were okay after all of that," Malfoy explained.

"You pretty much saved my life Malfoy," Harry said watching Malfoy's expression closely. He looked back up at him and shrugged.

"Like I said earlier, only repaying my debt. And hoping I won't have to say thank you for it either," Malfoy said. Harry smiled.

"A thank you would still be nice to hear," Harry said and saw Malfoy's eyes narrow.

"I may be feeling generous, but not that generous," Malfoy said and leant back in his chair. He was still watching Harry, they were watching each other and time ticked by in silence. Harry was waiting on his thank you and Malfoy was stubbornly not giving it to him.

"Why'd you forfeit the game then?" Harry moved on, willing to let him off with it for now anyway.

"I told you-" Malfoy started but before he could get very far Harry shook his head and cut him off

"No you lied to me and said it was so you could beat me fair a square, but I don't believe that. There is no way you would have given up a chance at some free points. You knew we would have to forfeit so why'd you do it first before we could? You're a Slytherin, you don't do that," Harry said. The shaking of his head had brought on a new pain but he ignored it, more interested in Malfoy's answer.

Malfoy sighed. "Being a Slytherin doesn't define me you know,"

"I know, but I still know you well enough to know that you would never normaly have done that. What's changed?" Harry asked.

"Everything's changed," Malfoy said quietly, without missing a beat.

"Quidditch hasn't changed. It's about the only thing, but it shouldn't have changed and you shouldn't have forfeited the game. Why did you?" Harry said, just as quick as Malfoy in his responses, he had to be or he would never keep up, Malfoy would have the advantage in everything.

Malfoy and Harry watched each other again for a long time before Malfoy was able to answer him. In that time Harry was able to appreciate how much older Malfoy looked. His features were still sharp but not painfully so like when they were younger, he'd filled into his face and his features and no longer looked gaunt and like he had been put together with glue and sticky tape, like he had done at the end of the war, wracked with guilt and pain of his family falling apart, trying to put back the pieces but clearly not focusing enough on himself to do it properly.

That had all changed. He looked healthy, well fed and almost happy. His eyes had regained their light and were no longer dull or empty. Harry wondered how he had managed to do so. Harry himself was only barely hanging on, keeping it together for everyone else but himself. He needed time to let himself fall apart and build himself back up again like Malfoy had done but it was hard to come by when you were the saviour of the wizarding world and everyone would see a break down as something very negative.

Of course he had seen Malfoy around the school since the trial and they had been talking a little, holding a civil conversation every now and wouldn't call it a friendship and he was sure Malfoy wouldn't either, but it was a truce at the very least. It would probably do good for them to talk about the war to each other in the future, it was a tense area of conversation with anyone, even more so his best friends, and not being able to talk about it was driving him a little insane. He wondered if it was the same with Malfoy.

"There was so much blood," Malfoy broke the silence and Harry's thoughts and he focused back on what Malfoy was telling him. "You could see the blood pouring from your head as you fell and once I had pulled you onto my broom I was covered in it. I don't know why or how but all that blood just-" Malfoy broke off, looking at the floor. He took a deep breath and raised his head again "I wasn't winning that way Harry, I refuse to cheat,"

"But you didn't cheat. Preston hit the bludger at me, not you. And since when has cheating ever stopped you before?" Harry said.

"Preston should never have been anywhere near you, the action was at the other end of the pitch and you hadn't seen the snitch. I suspended him for two games because of it," Malfoy said and Harry raised an eyebrow ignoring the slight pain it caused. "And as for cheating, like I said, things have changed and how am I ever meant to show that I am better than you if I continue to cheat? It's not as satisfying if we win that way,"

Harry watched him again, trying to understand why everything had changed and why Malfoy was so determined for it to do so. He supposed it all came down to the war, everything had to change after that or else they would be no where. "You called me Harry," He finally said.

"What?" Malfoy said blinking, confused at the change of pace in the conversation.

"A second ago, you called me Harry,"

"Is that not your name?" Malfoy asked defensively and Harry sighed.

"You know what I mean," Harry said.

"Yes well…" Malfoy paused, adjusting how his shirt was sitting and avoiding Harry's gaze. "I think all this saving lives business entitles us to that at least,"

"I agree," Harry nodded. Malfoy smiled slightly and they fell back into silence.

Harry glanced at his watch noticing it was about half past one in the morning."Why'd you visit now? Why are you awake at this time?"

Malfoy shrugged. "Couldn't sleep, didn't have anything else to do, was worried about you. Any of those could probably apply," he said evasively.

"You were worried about me?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows so high in surprise that they disappeared underneath the bandage around his head.

"The whole school's worried about you, it must be infectious or something," Malfoy said with a shrug and a dismissive hand. He had suddenly found it very difficult to look at Harry in the eye and Harry had noticed this. He smiled.

"And this _infection_ brought you here in the middle of the night did it?" Harry asked and Malfoy shrugged, looking up at the ceiling. "What would you have done if I had been asleep?"

"Well you weren't so it's not even worth discussing," Malfoy mumbled nonchalantly.

Harry's grin grew and he sat up further, turning his body to Malfoy his sheets slipping down his chest. Malfoy looked at him fleetingly, frowning and looking a little worried as he took in that Harry was only in his underwear and a t-shirt. "But lets say I had been asleep, would you have waited until I woke up? Would you have woken me up?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I just wanted to talk to you without your body guards around," Malfoy said.

"You could have waited until morning to do that, or until I was out of here, could have taken me aside to call me Harry and thank me for saving you from azkaban," Harry said. Malfoy shook his head as a smile tugged at the side of his lips. The boy wonder had some cheek. Harry sighed and pulled the sheet back up under his arm pits. He knew he wouldn't get much out of Malfoy so he decided he had best just to give up.

"Thank you for saving my life yesterday Draco," Harry said. Malfoy sighed and finally looked at Harry knowing he was being serious now and not trying to get him to admit something he didn't want to.

"Your welcome, thank you for…everything," Malfoy finally shared his thank you. Harry grinned.

"That's alright," Harry said.

"I'll let you get some rest," Draco said and he stood up from his seat, stretching his arms up above him.

"Are you tired?" Harry asked. Draco frowned but shook his head. "I've slept all day, I'm not particularly tired either. Hermione left me this Potions book, think you could help me understand some of it?"

Malfoy blinked at him a few times before he turned to check if Pomfry's light was on again. He turned back to Harry, pulled his chair closer to the bed and picked up the potions book. "Why not?" he said. Harry grinned and they settled down quietly discussing potions and antidotes and theories, most of which Harry was barely paying attention too, finding Draco's presence extremely comforting. He found himself staring at him a lot, watching him read, speak and his expressions at Harry's responses, which mainly included exasperated and irritated. It took a few goes but he could see them becoming closer. Malfoy had always interested him and it only made sense to becoming something like friends, if Malfoy were to agree to such a thing of course. Harry was sure he could convince him some how.


End file.
